PRO FOOTBALL / WEEK 15 : Coryell, Campbell Meet With Jobs on Thin Ice

Don Coryell isn’t the only guy who’s tired of reading his job is on the line. Dan Fouts is tired of it, too. Not to mention Marion Campbell.

Charger owner Alex Spanos has made it no secret that a winning season is virtually a must if Coryell is to retain his job. The Chargers must beat the Philadelphia Eagles today and the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday to satisfy that mandate.

Fouts, who would be the last man in the National Football League to flinch under pressure, is weary of reading about and discussing Coryell’s plight.

“I get very emotional about that man,” Fouts said. “I think he’s doing a great job. He’s one of the greatest offensive coaches ever. The press is doing him a real disservice, messing with a guy’s livelihood . . . But, the great thing is, he’s been the same guy under pressure as he has always been.”

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Campbell is under siege. Some recent headlines in Philly newspapers: “The Deck is Stacked Against Campbell” . . . “Coach May Have Lost More Than The Game” . . . “Close Doesn’t Cut It.”

Campbell is realistic about the situation.

“I can’t let it distract me and I hope it doesn’t distract the players,” he said. “They know our program is better this year. We’re not that far away. Our pitch to the team is just to keep working.

“The biggest disappointment for me is the record. These guys work hard. They bring their hammers and saws every day. It’s a sad thing, because we had high hopes of the playoffs. There’s a few things missing each week.”

In recent weeks, it’s been the ability to hold a lead. The Eagles had a 23-0 advantage before losing to Minnesota, 28-23, two weeks ago. Last week, they couldn’t hold a 12-3 lead and lost to Washington, 17-12.

Of course, such deeds cannot be judged harshly in this town. If the Charger defense had any tenacity in holding a lead, the team would have two or maybe three more wins, and there would be no talk about Coryell’s job.

The Chargers lost to Houston with two seconds left and Minnesota with 19 seconds to go. They also got beat in overtime in Denver when a field goal was blocked and returned for a touchdown.

What buildup there has been for this matchup has centered in part around the Eagles’ defense, which is No. 1 in the NFL against the pass. Never mind that the Pittsburgh Steelers came to San Diego with a defense on top of the American Football Conference and proceeded to surrender 54 points, which should keep Chuck Noll frowning until the spring thaw.

The Eagles will be wrestling with an offense that is tops in pro football in scoring (29.5 points a game), total yardage (399) and passing (300).

Philadelphia quarterback Ron Jaworski, No. 8 in the NFL passing ratings, will try to keep a straight face against a Charger defense that is the league’s most porous in total yardage and passing.

The opponents may vary, but the plot generally is consistent when the Chargers slip into their lightning bolts.

There are a couple of subplots today. One is the return of running back Earnest Jackson, who was dispatched to the Eagles in return for a couple of middle-round draft choices and has proceeded to run for 858 yards.

“You gotta go where your job takes you,” Jackson said this week. “I want to be where I’m wanted. I’m happy now. It took some time, but I’m content now.”

Another story line concerns the Charger offensive line, which has been christened “The Street People.”

“I don’t mean they’re a bunch of winos,” Coryell said. “They are street-tough and street-smart. They have to get things done the hard way.”

The nickname was supplied by assistant general manager Tank Younger and ratified by Coryell, who admires the grit shown by Dennis McKnight, Jim Leonard, Don Macek, Ed White and Jim Lachey, the latest starters.

Yet another subplot is Lionel James, who continues his pursuit of three NFL records--combined net yards, receptions by a back and receiving yardage by a back.

As for the head coaches, don’t ask.